Shape-retainer for the bottoms of trousers-legs



F.- CAMERON 1R. SHAPE RETAINER FOR THE BOTTOM OF TROUSERS LEGS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 12, 1920.

Patented June 21, 1921.

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FRANK cannnon, an, or nnnarseN, onro, ASSIGNOR or ONE-THIRD TO ALBERT c. aNnrrLn, or nnnnisoN, onro.

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Application filed July 12,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK CAMERON, J12, citizen of the United States, residing at Harrison, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Shape-Retainers for the Bottoms of Trousers-Legs, f which the following is a specification.

This invention has as its object to provide a novel means for retaining the shape of the bottoms of trouser legs whether the same be plain or of the end type, the means being designed, by reason of its presence within the leg bottoms to maintain the lower portion of the trouser legs in the shape in which they are initially pressed and likewise to protect the lower edge of the bottoms from becoming worn through frictional contact with the shoe.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide a device for the purpose stated which may be readily applied by any one and which when applied will not be visible.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for the purpose stated so constructed that it will be flexible to a certain degree so that the trouser leg bottoms may be permitted to assume their natural position draped over the shoe uppers, and yet, as previously stated, the shape of the trouser leg bottoms will be maintained because of the presence of the device.

Still another object of the invention is to so construct the device that when the same is applied by stitching it to the trouser leg bot toms, the stitches will be protected from contact with the shoe uppers and will not, therefore, be liable to become worn.

Also, the invention has as an object to so construct the device that the same will not permit the trouser leg bottoms to and expose the device to view.

In the accompanying drawing:

Figure 1 is a view illustrating a trouser leg bottom equipped with the device, the trouser leg bottom being shown in side elevation and a portion being broken away so as to illustrate a portion of the device also in elevation.

Fig. 2 is a view looking at the inner side of the trouser leg with the device applied the material of the leg being spread open so as to better disclose the arrangement of the device within the bottom of the leg.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 21, 1921.

1920. Serial No. 395,572.

F 1g. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

F 1g. 4 is a horizontal sectional view on the line 1-4l of Fig. 1.

I In the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates in general a trouser leg bottom provided with a cuff 2, although it will be understood that the device embodying the present invention is applicable to trouser leg bottoms which are of plain construction as well as to bottoms which are provided withcuffs.

The device embodying the present invention is preferably made of soft or semi'soft rubber although if found desirable some other material may be employed for the purpose. The device is indicated in general by the numeral 3 and the same comprises a stripl1ke body 4: which may have its ends tapered as ndicated by the numeral 5, if desired. Thisbody a is either formed by a direct moldlng operation, or during the course of manufacture it is folded upon itself between its ends and the two side port-ions thus formed are vulcanized or otherwise united for a short distance so as to provide a well defined relatively thin crease retaining portion 6 which is located at the front of the device, and which is most clearly shown in Fig. at of the drawing.

For a purpose to be presently explained, the body 4: of the device is formed with an integral upstanding bracing portion 7 which is located to one side of the crease retaining portion 6 as best shown in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings. This portion 7 may, if desired, l1ke the ends of the body l, be tapered or brought to a point as indicated by the numeral 8 and it will be evident by reference to these figures that when the device is disposed within the bottom of the trouser leg, in proper position, the crease retaining portion 6 will seat within the rear crease in the trouser leg bottom, and the side portions of the device, which normally assume a slightly divergent relation due to the inherent resiliency of the material from which the device is formed, will extend along the inner surfaces of the opposite sides of the trouser leg bottom near the lower edge thereof, the bracing and reinforcing portion 7 projecting up wardly beside the inner surface of one side of the trouser leg bottom so as to prevent overturning or curling up of the trouser leg bottom which might result in exposure of the device and which would also result in disar rangement or distortion of the cuff or plain bottom to such an extent as to render the same unsightly.

in order that the device above described may be secured to the inner side of the trouser leg bottom, it is preferable that the body f and the upward extension 7 be formed along their margins with a continuously extending channel which is indicated by the numeral 9 and which maybe molded in the inner face of the device at the time of manufacture. A line of stitching 10 is to be run through the body 4 and its extension 7 and through the trouser leg bottom for the purpose stated, and these stitches willbe located within the channel 9 and will, therefore, not be exposed at the surface of the devicc and so cannot come into rubbing cont ct with the shoe upper which contact would under other conditions result in the stitches becoming worn through.

From the foregoing description of the invention it will be understood that the device may be readily applied to any trouser leg bottom and that when in place it will serve to maintain the trouser legbottom in its proper pressed shape: it will also be evident that the crease retainingportion 6 will serve effectually to maintain the rear crease in the trouser leg bottom and that the upward extension 7 of the device will serve effectively to prevent the trouser leg bottom turning up at the rear so as to expose the device. Q

lVhile the device is preferably applied by stitching, it is understood that it may be applied by adhesive if found desirable.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A shape retainer for the'bottoms of trouser legs comprising a stripdike body shaped to seat within the creased portion of the bottom of the trouser leg and to extend along the opposite sides of the said bottom, the said body being provided with an upwardly extending bracing and reinforcing portion and being formed in its inner face and in the inner face of its said upwardly extending portion with a marginally extending channel to receive and house stitches which are to secure the device to the trouser leg bottom.

2. A shape retainer for the bottoms of trouser legs comprising a strip-like body provided with a fold between its ends to form spaced side portions, and an integral bracing portion upstanding from the upper edge of one of the side portions inthe planethereof and relatively close to the said fold. In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature.

FRANK CAMERON, JR. [1. s.] 

